Rose Onofriechuk was born on March 12, 1921, in the MacNutt district, the 3rd child in a family of 8, to Wasyl and Marie (Karpa) Dwernichuk. Gramma grew up helping out wherever she was needed on the family farm, be it looking after her younger siblings…to feeding chickens and milking cows…to field work. Gramma never shared childhood memories with us until this past Christmas when she finally opened up. She had a very hard childhood which helped us to understand the person she had become. On November 2, 1941, Rose married the love of her life, Peter Onofriechuk. Together they built their home in the MacNutt area and worked side by side on the farm. On May, 5, 1950, they were blessed with a son, Edwin. Gramma Rose loved gardening and her flower beds. She spent endless hours in the garden and she was always sharing her bountiful crops with everyone. Gramma was on the church board for many years and her and Grampa Pete spent many hours working at the church. Her church was very important. Mom, Karen, would go have her lunch hour with Gramma Rose and she would ask Gramma what have you been doing…Gramma's first thing to tell her all the time was, "I was at church". Gramma loved crocheting, cooking, baking…her maple walnut chiffon cakes, kuchen and donuts were the best! I smile as I page through her cookbooks because beside her recipes she has written "Stacey's favourite". As soon as you arrived at Gramma's house, the coffee was on, lunch was being made and "EAT! EAT! EAT!" were her 3 famous words. Gramma loved to play cards and cheat while doing it! (Sorry, Gramma!) Gramma Rose also loved shopping through the Sears catalogue. Gramma never had her driver's licence so I'm not sure if she would order something because she liked it or because the parcel would arrive and she would get to go to town…the next day she would get to go to town again because the parcel would be going back...Gramma Rose and Grampa Pete travelled together out to British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Washington, USA a few times always returning home with many stories and very fond memories. In July 2011, after 6 months alone in the farm house home, as Grampa Pete was in the Yorkton Nursing Home, Gramma went into respite at the Langenburg Centennial Special Care Home in Langenburg, SK. After the two weeks were up, Gramma Rose moved to the Morris Lodge in Bangor, SK…then West Haven in Langenburg, SK… (Gramma absolutely loved it here! I could never call Gramma "Baba" she didn't like it and let me know it BUT Glenn got away with it and she smiled every time he said it!...St. Paul's Lutheran Home, Melville, SK…was her next move and finally the circle completed when a room in Langenburg became available for her. So May 1, 2012, she settled into her home at Langenburg Centennial Special Care Home. Gramma told Mom and myself that the last 5 years of her life were some of her best years because she was always with people. On Gramma's brief stay in Melville, she suffered congestive heart failure (her heart stopped 9 times in one day) and we almost lost her. But the strong willed woman she was, she managed another three and a half years with us. On Wednesday, August 17, 2016, Gramma Rose passed away quickly but very peacefully at bedtime after her evening snack at the Langenburg Centennial Care Home. Rose was predeceased by her parents, Wasyl and Marie, her husband, Peter, son, Edwin, her siblings, Mike, George, Marie (and Marie's infant twin brother), Doris, Gordon and Bill, as well as her maternal parents and sisters and brothers-in-laws. Rest in Peace, Gramma Rose. May your memory be Eternal! Prayer services were held on Sunday evening, August 21, 2016 from the Yorkton Memorial Gardens Family Centre. The Funeral Service was held on Monday, August 22, 2016 from St. Nicholas Ukrainian Orthodox Church, MacNutt district with Rev. Fr. Richard Ehrmantraut officiating. Dobr. Orysia Ehrmantraut led in the singing of the responses. The cross bearer was Dennis Goyerick, the banner bearers were Don Kahut & Maria Dawe. The interment followed in St. Nicholas Parish Cemetery with Stacey Onofriechuk, Alvin Onofriechuk, Lorne Kozaruk, Edwin Antony, Glenn Walz & Pat Petrowsky serving as the casket bearers. Condolences can be left at . Memorials were to St. Nicholas Church.
